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School at Home Routine From a Real Homeschooling Mom
Not being a well-seasoned homeschooling mom myself, I reached out to a friend for some much needed advice about doing school at home for all of my mamas out there who are needing to do crisis schooling during this pandemic.
Alison is a mom of 4; three boys ages 10, 8, and 6 and a toddler girl (3). She has her hands full but she is passionate about homeschooling and making sure her boys are set up for success while making learning fun and interactive.
I will share her routine with you at the very end, but here are a couple tips from Alison that everyone can apply to their kid's everyday life.
1. "Stay flexible!"
Sometimes mornings are slow, kids are not in the mood or things just don't go according to plan. You can aim to get certain things done but do not stress if you don't! Tomorrow is a new day. Have grace on yourself and your kids.
2. "Keep a clipboard for assignments!"
Each of Alison's kids has a clipboard with all of their work for the week on it so they can know exactly what they need to complete. It helps them to be able to see what they are responsible for and also to be able to track their own progress.
3. "Rest time should be a common practice!"
This time is used for kids' own reading, independent play and doing other fun activities like drawing or coloring. This is an important time for the mom as well who also needs rest and for smaller kids as this is when they are able to take a nap.
4. "Do what is best for your kids and your family!"
Moms are tempted to copy someone else's routine or practice, but Alison says that the homeschooling schedule depends heavily on the age of the kids, number of kids and what subjects the curriculum is trying to cover.
5. "Don't forget the babies!"
Alison says it has been helpful to spend quality time with her youngest girl before the day starts so she is feeling ready to be more independent during homeschool time. She also prepared some fun activities for her toddler; like sensory bins, special toys and crafts.
6. "Chores before TV!"
All kids want more screen time; this is a fact. So make sure you have chores scheduled right before so they get done quickly and efficiently and the reward of TV is immediate. This is a great tip for us adults too!
7. "Think in blocks rather than minutes!"
It is so hard to know how long it will take a child to complete a certain assignment or task from day to day, so Alison has found that generous blocks of time are more doable than a more structured minute-by-minute schedule.
I hope you have enjoyed these tips for maintaining a schedule while doing school at home.
I know this can be a very stressful time especially when so many parents and kids did not actively chose to do homeschooling.
Just remember that crisis school or virtual learning is not the same as deciding and preparing to do homeschool. So have grace for yourself and your kids!
If you need help with your virtual learning set up, contact us today for a free consultation, either online or face-to-face.
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